Reactions for the attack against the mosque in Deneia village continue
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (23.02.16) reports that the self-styled foreign ministry of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus condemned yesterday the attack against the historic mosque in Deneia village. In a written statement, the self-styled ministry described as “important development” the launching of investigations on the issue by the officials of the Republic of Cyprus right after the attack and argued: “Having as starting point our past experiences, our expectation is for this investigation not to remain fruitless like it was observed in similar attacks realized in the past and the perpetrators of this crime against humanity to be found and brought to justice the soonest”.
The “ministry” said that in 2015 they gave permission and provided access for religious services to he conducted in 96 churches in the occupied area of Cyprus and 20 of these religious services have been held in the above-mentioned churches for the first time after 50 years.
Meanwhile, in a written statement issued yesterday, Hasan Tacoy, general secretary of the Democratic Party – National Forces (DP-UG), alleged that the attack derives from the enmity against the Turks by which the Greek Cypriot leadership is raising its children and youth. He claimed that the incident must not be underestimated and that this is a new example of the dimensions to which the enmity against the Turks could reach. He argued that the incident shows that the Turkish side should not give any concessions from Turkey’s active and effective guarantees, the bi-zonality, the structure of properties and population of the Turkish Cypriot founding state and the agreement to become primary law of the EU.
Furthermore, Cemal Ozyigit, chairman of the Social Democracy party (TDP), has argued that the attack and similar incidents aim at preventing the solution process and added that “we must behave cool headedly and prudently’. In a written statement, he argued that the perpetrators should be found and brought to justice, pointing out that this kind of attacks must not be attributed to the Greek Cypriot community.
Noting that the restoration of the mosque started yesterday Kibris reports that the cost of 5-6 thousand euro for the restoration will be paid by the Republic of Cyprus. The works are expected to be completed within a week. In statements to Kibris, the Turkish Cypriot co-chairman of the Technical Committee for the Cultural Heritage, Ali Tuncay, who visited the mosque yesterday with the Greek Cypriot co-chairman Takis Hadjidemetriou, described the incident as saddening and added that the incident will not terrorize them and they will continue their work. “The cultural heritage and especially the religious places must be turned into a field of cooperation and not conflict”, he noted.
Furthermore, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (23.02.16) covers the issue on its front page and reports that inhabitants and the priest of the village told a team of Hadavis, which visited Deneia, that they were sorry about the attack adding that this was a “work of mad men”. The priest of the village told the Turkish Cypriot journalists that the mosques are important for the Turkish Cypriots just like the churches are important for the Greek Cypriots. “While such an effort is being exerted for us living together, 3-5 mad men doing such a thing is embarrassing”, he added.
Turkey condemns the attack against the mosque in Deneia village
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned today (23.02.16) the attack carried out the day before yesterday against the historic mosque in Deneia village.
In a written statement published on its webpage (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-49_-23-subat-2016_-gkry_deki-denya-camii_nin-kundaklanmasi-hk_.tr.mfa), the Ministry states the following:
“We are feeling great regret about the setting on fire, in the morning of Sunday 21 February, of the Deneia Mosque, which is in the island of Cyprus and bears the characteristics of a heritage that should culturally and historically be protected and we are strongly condemning the above-mentioned incident.
Essentially, the fact that Deneia mosque, which had been attacked in January 2013 and was restored with the efforts of the Technical Committee for Cultural Heritage, was target of an ugly attack for the second time is thought provoking. During a period in which the process for a comprehensive solution in Cyprus is advancing towards its final stage, this kind of attacks must not be permitted to influence the existing positive climate.
We are joining the call by the TRNC President Mr Mustafa Akinci towards finding the soonest and punishing the perpetrators of the above-mentioned incident and within this framework we are expecting a responsible stance to be followed in order for such incidents, including the attacks happened against Turkish Cypriots on 15 November 2015, which harm the feelings of trust between the two peoples, not to be repeated and we are expecting the issue to be followed with the necessary seriousness and sensitivity”.